Collapsible crate or case.



No. 868,214. PATENTED 0GT.15,1907.

J. s. MoKIBBIN;

GOLLAPSIBLB, CRATE OR CASE.

APPLIUATION, FILED JULY 3. 1906..

a SEEETSSHEET 1.

No.868,214. .PATEN'TED 00115, 1907.

- J. s. MoKIBBIN.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE 0R GASB. APPLIOATIQN FILED JULY 3.1900. s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I J GEE @\k@ 0' L 0 A o o wit" wows 7 7 I 75 @IIIHB I PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907.

J. '3. MoKIBBIN. GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE 0R CASE. j

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. 190a.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

huentoz Crates or Cases, of which the following is the shipment of eggs, and the object vice collapsed. Fig. 4 is a section through the crate in so teners.

. directions, locking it as it were and -tures of construction and combinations of parts which.

rigid. The bottom E is preferably reinforced by means of the fillers 2, 2, which by fitting the sides and ends of UNITED STATES JOHN SIMPSON MCKIBBIN,

' COLLAPSIBLE C RATE OR CASE.

NO. 868,214. Specification of Application filed July 3,1

Letters Patent.

906. Serial No. 324,668.,

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, J OHN SIMPSON MCKIBBIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Phelps and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible a specification. My invention relates to an improvement in collapsible crates or cases, of a type more especially adapted for is to economize space in the return shipment of the crates or cases and in the storage of the same. 'With these objects in view, my invention comprises I a crate or case in which the sides, ends and partitions, if there are to be any, are capable of being folded flat upon each other and hinged at opposite edges of onepf the sides, are capable of being folded flat upon each other when the crate or case is collapsed, whereby it is made to occupy about one-fifth of the space required when set up.

My invention further consists in certain novel feawill be hereinafter described and claims. I

In the accompanying drawingsz Figur-l is a view in perspective of the crate or case in its normal position with the cover partly raised. Fig. 2 is a view with the top'and bottom open. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the depointed out in the its normal position. Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the three-part hinges.

the top and bottom, by being receive one end of this fastener.

Fig.- 6 is a view of one of the fas- Various kinds of fastenings might be used, but I have I shown in one form of my invention short strips of sheet placed, beneath the loops 8, 8, and adapted to be bent back to secure Several of these are preferably used for -metal 7, 7, which are the ends of which are them in place.

each folding part, namely the bottom; and the lid or cover, in other words, as many are used as are found necessary forrthe purpose.

Whencollapsed another fastener like thosepr eviously described only longer is adapted to be used to hold the crateor case in its collapsed condition, and a loop 9 secured on one of the fillers of the bottom is provided to In this way, I provide a very simple and efiicient means for shipping eggs and the primary advantage of the-whole thing is that the crate or case when returned is collapsible into a small fraction of the space required during shipment of the eggs, and I have calculated on reducing the actual size when collapsed to about one-fifth of the set up size. At the same time, the structure is easily and quickly fastened, and the members are perfectly tight and rigid and the articles carried in the crate or case are preserved and protected.

In the modified construction, which to all intents and purposes is practically the same as he crate or case here- A, and B represent the two sides of the crate or case, and C and D the ends, while E indicates the bottom and F thetop. The sides and ends are hinged together by means of hinges l, 1, the hinges being so placed and arranged that when the hinges on one side open, those on the other side close in the'operation of collapsing, and in the particular construction shown", the central partition G is similarly hinged to, the two sides. This partition might not be made, or there might be more than one if desired. The edges of the ends and partition, if one or more, are used to formstops, by striking against the-inner surfaces of the sides, and assist inbracing the crate when set upto help to make it more the crate or case when open, hold the same rigid in both preventing the acinbefore described, in this form, I propose to use metal bands 10, 10 in addition to the hinges practically surrounding thecase and the free ends 11, 11, are in the form of the knuckles of a hinge being lock and receive removable pins 12, cure them in place. In this form the crate or case collapses and is set up precisely as in the other form.

Slight additional changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I-do not wish to limit myself to the exact constructions herein set forth, but:

Having fully described my'invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A collapsible egg case comprising sides and ends hinged together and a top and bottom hinged to opposite edges of one of the sides, one of said parts by means of a compound 01: three-part hinge which admits of that part 12 whereby to secidental collapse of the crate or case.

The lidor cover is provided with overlapping cleats 3, 3, at the ends which also embrace the ends of the crate or case and thereby add to its rigidity, when set up and in rise, this lid or cover being hinged at the upper edge of the side B by the hinges 4, 4, and the bottom is hinged to the lower edge of this same side by being folded over the other at the opposite edge of the said side when the case is collapsed.

- 2; A collapsible egg case comprising sides,ends and partitions hinged together whereby they may be folded flat and'a bottom hinged at one edge to one edge of one of the sides and provided with reinforces which form fillers to'bi-ace and make the case rigid when set up with the bottom closed, and means for fastening the bottom in this means of the compound or three-part hinges 5, 5, the

closed position.

arranged to inter- 3. A collapsible egg case comprising sides and ends when the case is collapsed and means for fastening the 10 hinged together and collapsible and a top and bottom parts either in the setup or knocked down position. hinged to opposite edges of one of the sides and constructed In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this and adapted to overlap each other and lie against the side specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. when the case is collapsed.

4. A collapsible egg" case comprising sides and ends JOHN SIMPSON MCRIBBIN hinged together and collapsible and a top ind bottom Witnesses: hinged to opposite edges of one of the sides and constructed l R. A. MERRYMAN, and adapted to overlap each other and lie against the side AGNES l FlNCHl-llt. 

